Deputy Program Director, Midwest

ABOUT VOTE SOLAR

Vote Solar's mission is to realize a 100% clean energy future through a solutions-driven, people first approach. Founded in 2002, Vote Solar advances just and equitable clean energy policy in state legislatures and public commissions across the United States. Our expertise comes from a deep understanding of the legislative process, regulatory interventions, and the ability to identify and accelerate solar solutions. We are adept at bridging communities and bringing diverse stakeholders together to forge inclusive coalitions and winning campaigns. 

Our goal is to effect real, tangible change. And we have the track-record to prove we can do it: Twenty years in, our work has made it so that one in three people live in a state with a 100% clean energy commitment. We’ll not only expand that number, but ensure that more people can participate in holding utilities and decision makers accountable for greater equity and justice in our energy system.

 

OUR COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY, EQUITY, INCLUSION AND JUSTICE

Vote Solar is an equal opportunity employer committed to diversity, equity, inclusion and justice in the workplace and in the communities with which we partner. We strongly encourage and seek applications from women, people of color, including multilingual and multicultural individuals, as well as members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender communities. Applicants shall not be discriminated against because of race, religion, sex, national origin, ethnicity, age, disability, political affiliation, sexual orientation, gender identity, color, marital status, or medical conditions. Reasonable accommodations will be made so that qualified disabled applicants may participate in the application process. Please advise in writing of special needs at the time of application.

 

THE ROLE

We are seeking to fill the key leadership role of Deputy Program Director (DPD), Midwest, a position that will lead our work in the region (primarily Illinois, Minnesota, and Michigan with some additional campaigns in Wisconsin and Indiana). This individual will ensure we are running strategic, equitable and impactful solar and energy justice policy campaigns and regulatory interventions. Reporting to the Managing Director of Campaigns, this position will serve as part of the national DPD cohort, and work in close collaboration with the Philanthropy, Communications, and regulatory departments to further our mission in the Midwest. In the first year you will be managing a team of four, including two newer members of staff, working to advance campaigns and regulatory dockets in the region. This region has many overlapping priorities across staff, so supporting coordination and collaboration will be a critical goal of the role.

 

RESPONSIBILITIES

The Deputy Program Director, Midwest will set strategy and manage staff in the Midwest. The Deputy Program Director will be expected to demonstrate the following core competencies in their day-to-day work: 

MANAGEMENT (30%)

• Develop and grow your team: hiring, supporting, and cultivating and celebrating the impact and leadership of staff in your region.
• Cultivate a team environment of belonging, psychological safety and connection where staff thrive both personally and professionally within a multi-racial organization.
• Maintaining an inclusive, productive, collaborative environment where staff members on the team and central services staff directly engaged with the team, like our Communications and Partnership staff, are learning from each other and growing.
• Hold yourself and your team accountable - to both results and to nurturing an inclusive team.

STRATEGY & THOUGHT LEADERSHIP (25%)

• Leading annual planning for the region, and being a contributor to our multi-year strategic planning process. 
• Co-creating a clear vision and strategy for Vote Solar’s legislative and regulatory policy and partnership priorities for the region.
• Developing policy positions on complex solar and energy justice issues, and supporting regional staff to do the same.
• Working with staff and the central teams to identify the right partners, mentors, resources to inform our positions and solutions.
• Cultivating and supporting staff in cultivating Just Partnerships with frontline communities, environmental justice organizations, and others most impacted by the climate crisis to ensure our solution set is grounded in partner knowledge on what it will take to rebuild an equitable and just energy system.
• In coordination with the Philanthropy Team, building relationships with regional and national funders and supporting fundraising
• Acting as an ambassador for the organization at key events across the region.

DIVERSITY, EQUITY, INCLUSION AND JUSTICE (5%)

• Continuing personal learning; contribute to organizational work on diversity, equity and inclusion.
• Working to advance Vote Solar’s DEIJ work through program strategy, management practices, and organization-wide leadership.
• Helping the region live into Vote Solar’s DEIJ commitment.
• Bringing openness and engagement to personal, professional, and organization-wide learning on race, class, gender, justice, and equity.

CAMPAIGN OVERSIGHT (30%)

• You will be managing Regulatory and Regional Directors who are running comprehensive regulatory and legislative campaigns to advance solar and energy justice policies. As their manager, you will be providing mentorship, guidance  and thought-partnership. Elements of their work that you would need to provide guidance on include:
• Developing policy proposals specific to the state to advance solar and other clean, distributed energy resources.
• Oversee strategy and nuts-and-bolts execution of effective regulatory intervention, including the development of analysis and testimony, inter-party strategy, and settlement negotiations.
• Building champions for solar and energy justice policies through high-level relationship building and education of key policymakers in the region. 
• Ensuring that our work in the region advances equitable energy policies and programs that will benefit underserved communities.
• Leveraging grassroots supporters and key influencers to turn solar’s broad popularity into effective political power. 
• Building strong, authentic partnerships within coalitions to increase the effectiveness and inclusivity of our campaigns. Commit to and exemplify our just partnership principles. You have, or are able to develop, strong relationships with regional stakeholders, especially environmental justice groups, environmental groups and the solar industry.
• Developing strategic communications plans in the region with our internal communications team, including planning and implementing media and social media plans to support campaign objectives. 

OPERATIONAL OVERSIGHT (10%)

• Managing up to a $100k regional professional services budget in support of your team’s goals and key responsibilities.
• Ensuring that all activities within your program/issue area, as well as the staff you manage, comply with relevant nonprofit laws and lobbying regulations and adhere to internal policies, practices, and protocols.

 

REQUIREMENTS

WHAT YOU’VE ACCOMPLISHED

• Seven to ten years of experience in either regulatory or legislative affairs, policy advocacy or a demonstrated track record that matches this experience
• Strong communication or organizing skills in advocacy, DEIJ, fundraising, or other issue-driven areas
• Demonstrated skills in managing to 1) develop diversity, equity, inclusion and justice core competencies in your staff;  2) build an inclusive team; 3) drive results; and 4) ensure direct reports are on a rewarding professional career path at Vote Solar 
• Commitment to developing a sophisticated understanding of how racial, gender, economic, and social inequity impacts supervisory relationships, partnerships, and campaigns and coalition work

OTHER THINGS YOU MIGHT HAVE ACCOMPLISHED OR WOULD BE EXCITED TO LEARN HERE

• Experience working with or in front of regulatory or legislative bodies in the Interior West and relationships with decision-makers or public staff
• Experience working directly in or with historically marginalized populations, such as Black, Indigenous or People of Color (BIPOC) or environmental justice (EJ) communities, and relationships with leaders working in and with those populations
• Experience working with issues of particular concern to Indigenous peoples.

 

MINDSETS

• A personal commitment to being a part of an inclusive and just workplace, including a commitment to being on a journey with Vote Solar to develop personal, and inter-personal core competencies related to diversity, equity, inclusion and justice
• Passion for building new capacity at a growing organization
• The understanding that how we work (in collaborative, authentic partnership), is as important as what we work on.

LOCATION

The Deputy Program Director, Midwest role is a remote role based in the Midwest with preference for candidates with roots in Illinois, Michigan, or Minnesota. This position requires some regional and national travel (about one trip per month). Workplace arrangements are flexible, including options to work from a co-working space or work from home. 

 

SALARY AND BENEFITS

The salary range for this position is $123,000 - $129,000. At Vote Solar, we work hard to ensure that our compensation is equitable internally and aligned with our compensation philosophy and defined job levels. In order to ensure equitable compensation across roles in the organization, we do not negotiate new hire offers.

Vote Solar provides full-time staff with a competitive package, including 4 weeks of paid vacation, 12 days of sick leave, 4 days of personal leave and 16 paid holidays. We also offer 100% employer-provided health, dental and vision care for team members; a retirement savings plan with an employer contribution of 3.5%; and a paid parental and medical leave policy for all regular employees. 

 

APPLICATION PROCESS

Please send a letter of interest and resume to Vote Solar. Reasonable accommodations will be made so that all qualified applicants may participate in the application process. Please inform Adrena Lambert at alambert@votesolar.org of accommodation requests at the time of application.

Application Process Note: Vote Solar is required to enroll in the E-Verify Program to verify employment eligibility of certain employees. Candidates who receive an offer may be required to complete this step depending on their state of residence.